Vegan Vietnamese Pho With Bok Choy and Mushrooms

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/18/22
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for the Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer and product tester at Food Network. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Vegan Vietnamese Pho With Bok Choy and Mushrooms

The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
175 Calories
1g Fat
37g Carbs
5g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 175
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 935mg 41%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 14%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 25mg 123%
Calcium 100mg 8%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 443mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This bok choy pho is deliciously filled with veggies, spices and uses a vegetable broth as a base. The secret to a good pho is really all in the broth since that's where all the flavor comes from. The rest is really optional, so add to or take out of this vegan pho just about whatever you'd like. If you don't have a few of the spices, not to worry, just add extra of the others, or add a bit of extra Chinese five-spice.

A good option for both vegetarians and vegans, this Vietnamese bok choy pho is great for lunch or dinner. Serve it with a tossed salad with ginger dressing and some vegan tofu spring rolls.

"Full of deep, earthy, and robust flavors, you'll be slurping every drop to the bottom of the bowl. If that wasn't enough, this pho shows you just how delicious vegan cooking can be. A carefully curated combination of veggies make this dish filling and satisfying for brunch, lunch, or dinner. This recipe is a definite keeper!" —Diana Andrews

Vegan Vietnamese Pho With Bok Choy and Mushrooms Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

To Make the Broth:​

  • 1 onion, chopped coarsely

  • 2 to 3 star anise

  • 2 to 3 whole cloves

  • 1 cinnamon stick

  • 1 to 2 inches ginger, coarsely chopped

  • 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 4 cups vegetable broth

Other Ingredients:

  • 1 (1-pound) package rice noodles, prepared according to package instructions

  • 1 pound mushrooms, sliced (try using dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated)

  • 2 baby bok choy, coarsely chopped

  • 6 scallions, chopped

  • 1 cup bean sprouts

  • 1/4 cup basil, coarsely chopped

  • 1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

  • 1 to 2 small chile peppers, sliced, optional

  • Lime wedges, optional

Steps to Make It

Make the Broth

  1. Gather the broth ingredients.

    Vegan Vietnamese Pho With Bok Choy and Mushrooms broth ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  2. Add all the broth ingredients—chopped onion, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, chopped ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and vegetable broth—to a large pot.

    broth ingredients to a large pot

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  3. Cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, covered, 45 minutes to an hour.

    broth cooking in a pot

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  4. Strain the onion, anise, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger out of the broth and discard. Return broth to a simmer.

    strain the broth into a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

Make and Assemble the Pho

  1. Gather the remaining ingredients.

    pho ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  2. Add the mushrooms and bok choy to the broth, simmer just until vegetables are barely tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.

    vegetables cooking in the pho broth

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  3. To serve, divide the prepared noodles, the broth, bok choy, and mushrooms between 4 serving bowls.

    who noodles and vegetables in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

  4. Garnish individual bowls with scallions, bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, and chiles, if using. Serve with a fresh lime wedge, if you like. 

    Vegan Vietnamese Pho With Bok Choy and Mushrooms served in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Sonia Bozzo

Make Ahead

To save time, prep all of your veggies the night before and store in the refrigerator in separate airtight containers.


How to Store

If there are any leftovers, the ingredients should be stored separately if at all possible, especially keeping the noodles and broth separate from all other ingredients. Store in airtight containers and eat the pho within one day.


The broth can be stored for up to five days in the refrigerator and it can also be frozen for up to six months. If freezing, to save freezer space, put in zip-top bags.

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